This report, written for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), aims to initiate a transparent debate on the purpose, intensity and spatial distribution of expenditure on the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) from the perspective of the protection and enhancement of farmland biodiversity. It does this through a detailed analysis of the CAP budget and the presentation of a number of maps showing the regional variation in the distribution and intensity of both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 payments. In addition, five qualitative case studies examine the use of specific CAP measures in more detail, and an assessment is made of the role they might play in biodiversity protection.
The report was launched in Brussels on 27 June at an event hosted by BirdLife International and the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Martin Farmer, Policy Analyst, presented the main findings and representatives from the RSPB and DG Agriculture of the European Commission gave their responses during a subsequent panel debate.
The main report can be downloaded here. A separate case study report is also available. Martin Farmer’s presentation can also be downloaded.
Download the case study report
